Microsoft Patenting Phone That Goes Silent In Movies

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This is a fantastic idea. Now, if they can just add a feature that shocks the crap out of people that actually do talk on the phone during movies, it would be product of the century. :D

Microsoft has patented a technology called "Inconspicuous Mode," a setting that could put a mobile device into a stealth mode in response to, say, the lights going out in a movie theater. That way, you remain reachable on your phone without disrupting the guy beside you weeping during the "Les Miserables."
 
Great idea, but it sucks that it will be restricted to one single make of phones. This should be a feature that every phone should have.
 
Great idea, but it sucks that it will be restricted to one single make of phones. This should be a feature that every phone should have.

This won't change anything. If people want to use their phone during a movie like jackasses, they will.
 
People still go to the movies? What a shame
The one's I go to don't allow children after 6pm, let you drink beer in the movie theater and serve fresh slices of pizza. I tend to say away from theaters that don't offer this level of awesome.
 
Now, if they can just add a feature that shocks the crap out of people that actually do talk on the phone during movies, it would be product of the century. :D

Sorry can't hear you over my custom rom.

banner-galaxy-s2-android-4-1-jelly-king-cyanogenmod-10-120914.jpg
 
This won't change anything. If people want to use their phone during a movie like jackasses, they will.

Yeah true, and people will probably even go as far as disabling it. :p

I don't really go to the movies often enough though so I don't really care either way.
 
So... when I place my phone in my pocket, where it always is, it'll think I'm in a movie theater? Nice...
 
Um .. most phones are in pockets, how are they supposed to know? Or is the phone going to enter this mode everytime it's dark?

What's needed is a standardized signal (and corresponding phone sensor) that tells phones to enter a vibrate mode. This would be perfect for libraries, museums and other areas where you're on private property or in "quiet areas" and don't have a right to a ringer.

Using technology to fix rude behavior from bad parenting(?).
 
Better make sure that light bulb in MY PANTS doesn't go out, the damn phone will shut off. :eek::rolleyes::cool:

It's friggin stupid, the theater can just install a cell jammer that engages when the movie starts.

The same kind of jammer we should all start driving around with, so when that asshole in front of you is yapping away instead of noticing the light turned green.... beeeeeeeeeeeeep connection lost. :p
 
Make everyone wear "nutcracker pants". You do things enough things which annoy other people, "crack" no reproduction for you! :p
 
lol.

Apple patented something that wold be used for th same thing and people were up in arms because of the restrictions on your freedom to use the phone how you wanted.
 
Cell jammer.. cheaper and far more effective.

Aren't those illegal because people think they have the right to call for emergency services or something (or at least, that's the excuse they're using so they can keep texting and tweeting or whatever from their phones everywhere)?
 
Aren't those illegal because people think they have the right to call for emergency services or something (or at least, that's the excuse they're using so they can keep texting and tweeting or whatever from their phones everywhere)?

Something like that... at least that's the story. However it's silly because it's perfectly legal to passively jam a signal with essentially a Faraday cage around the theater which would literally prevent the same exact thing (i.e. emergency services, or what not). I think it's because you can walk around on the streets with an active jammer way more than putting a faraday cage around everyone within 30 feet of you :D
 
This won't change anything. If people want to use their phone during a movie like jackasses, they will.

Indeed. Interesting idea but ultimately flawed.

However I noticed that If I go to a big movie premiere I rarely see anyone on their phones anymore. Its when I go to some 10 pm showing on a Tuesday that some fucking annoying ass teenager is talking away and texting the entire time..
 
What ever lets me throw less popcorn at the jackasses that don't silence their phone and/or check it every 10 minutes during a 3 hour movie. That shits like 9 dollars now days.
 
Of course, this feature already exists. Every phone can have the ringers turned off or be put into vibrate mode. Its just a user stupidity problem.
 
Don't really see a point to this, not everyone has a Win-phone.
I'm a fan of jammers tho so if I ever get a car I'll have a nicely powered one for it.
 
Why would you keep your phone out during a movie to ever use this. It'd be better to make an app based on cell/gps location to turn the phone silent after 15 minutes when in range of a theater. But then again, why would anyone download it when you could do it your lazy self.
 
Instead: Legalize the ability to subdue or stun a person who uses a phone in the middle of a movie in the theatre.
 
Aren't those illegal because people think they have the right to call for emergency services or something (or at least, that's the excuse they're using so they can keep texting and tweeting or whatever from their phones everywhere)?
They should just jam all but emergency frequencies. Problem solved.
 
Its been years since a phone has rung in a movie. Not because people have become more considerate, but because everyone who is considering turns their phone off and everyone who isn't is texting throughout the entire movie.
 
The pocket pack of smokes cell jammer works great...so I hear...

I think I heard about a new type of paint that blocks cell signals too - they could just repaint with it and problem solved.
 
cellphones are the least problem of theater drama.

how about microsoft patent how to shut people up in the middle of the movie, for starters.
 
Since when did a cell phone operate on an emergency frequency? Dialing 911 doesn't switch your phone to some guard freq. like 243 or 121.5 MHz.
Good point, what I meant & what I said weren't the same.
There should be some way to selectively block outgoing calls, though I'm not really sure if there is (intercept and rerout?). If so, then white list only emergency numbers for outgoing calls inside theaters. Incoming calls would be black listed.


Other possible methods:

I do know that there is a system that can selectively block cell phones while allowing others to work. They could have security phones placed in theaters that allow only outgoing emergency calls and block all other phones.

Confiscate cell phones upon entry, anyone caught with a cell phone inside gets fined and banned.
 
Cell phone jamming is a huge 1st Amendment quagmire. The Faraday cage is reasonable. It's quite shitty to see people disrespectful during white house press events. It is a problem when people are unwilling to be intolerant of those that believe they exist above courtesy.
 
I think it's also known as silent mode for every other phone on the market, and I don't see how the phone lighting up in your pocket is going to cause any interruption for anyone else, I should patent a phone mode called Photobomb Ninja mode.
 
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